by Jaime Samms
“Ira.” Jed’s own plea was hoarse, short, and too little warning for the violent thrust that accompanied his orgasm. He thought he might shove Ira into the couch. But no. Ira arched up, leaned into his aggressive thrust, and a loud, exultant shout ripped from his throat. No whisper of sound, that. Not a hint of the high-pitched cracking that usually accompanied his raised voice.
Jed clasped his free arm around Ira’s chest and held him still as he pumped his ebbing orgasm into Ira’s body. He had to be crushing him, but Ira only strained to plant kisses on any and every part of Jed he could reach.
And when it was over and Jed’s knees gave out, it was Ira who wiggled his hands free and eased them both down onto the couch, curling up in a ball, little spoon to Jed’s big one.
Jed relaxed into the sectional, shoulders and hips sunk into the crack between the cushions and the back. He didn’t complain when Ira reached around, squirming to get at the condom so he could discard it. Jed didn’t care where it landed. He was lost in the scent of their sex, the care Ira took to cover them with the afghan off the couch, the sweet, soothing hum of Ira’s soft voice. He wasn’t trying to stay awake, but neither did he remember falling asleep.
Ira snuggled deeper under the scratchy afghan. It itched along his back and arm. His legs were chilled, though, from sticking out from under it. It was another minute before he realized he was alone on the couch.
“What— Where—” He jerked upright. “Jed?” Panic leaked into his voice, and he covered his mouth with his hand.
The apartment was dimly lit by a light on the hood over the stove, and a thin strip of light from under the bathroom door. Ira blinked at that glow, and then it was a swath of yellow over the pale tile and Jed was jogging across the room.
“Hey.” He fell to his knees. “Baby, relax. I was just taking a leak.” He passed a hand from the top of Ira’s head down to the back of his neck, and Ira let out a heavy breath. He didn’t resist when Jed pulled him close. More than willingly, he collapsed against Jed’s chest.
“What was that?” Jed asked.
Ira shuddered. “Nothing.”
“You panicked.”
Ira snuggled closer. “Come back to bed?”
Jed kissed the top of his head. “Can we open it up? I’m bigger than you. Need a bit more room.”
Ira nodded and scrambled off the couch. He glanced to where he’d left the used condom in the nest of his discarded T-shirt, but both the condom and T-shirt were gone. As were the rest of Ira’s clothes. He glanced around the small space, but there was no sign of his jeans, socks, or underwear.
“I’ll get this pulled out and set up,” Jed said, as he took cushions off the couch and tossed them aside. “You want to go clean up a bit?”
Ira nodded and forced the panic back. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered.
“I left a pair of sleep pants on the sink,” Jed said. “They’re huge for you, but they have a string. Should work.”
“Okay.” Ira scurried into the bathroom and closed the door. His phone and keys had been in his jeans pocket. So where were they now?
One thing at a time. He peed, washed his hands, and picked up the pants sitting on the counter next to the sink. And there was his phone, keys, and wallet, and the stub of a pencil that apparently had also been in his pocket.
“All right?” Jed asked when he emerged, possessions in hand.
Ira nodded.
“I figure a T-shirt will do you to run down and change in the morning. I tossed your clothes in the washer with mine. That okay?”
Ira blinked at him. “How long have you been up?”
Jed glanced away, focusing intently on tucking in a corner of the sheets. “A while.”
Ira yawned. “It’s the middle of the night.”
“Yeah.” Jed patted the bed and offered a smile. “You want left or right?”
“Doesn’t matter to me.” Ira crawled onto the bed, more at ease now he was more awake and thinking straight. He clambered under the layers of knitted blankets and held them open for Jed.
“Um. It’s okay. I’m gonna—”
“Jed? Do you want me to go?”
“No!” Jed sat on the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry if I woke you. I tried to be quiet. Just, I woke up and normally once I’m awake, I’m just awake. I don’t go back to sleep. I’ll try not to keep you up.”
Ira patted the thin mattress beside him. “I’ll rest better if you’re here.”
“I’ll just lie awake. Toss and turn. Keep you awake.”
“Then we can talk. Lie down.”
Jed stared at him. “I really didn’t want to wake you.”
“It’s okay. Please. Lie down.”
Finally, Jed fumbled into the bed beside him and let Ira pull the covers over him. He settled on his side facing Ira. “I tried to be so quiet.”
“You didn’t wake me,” Ira assured him. “The blanket did.” He rubbed at his arm. “It was scratchy.” He reached over to stroke Jed’s beard. “You okay?”
“Course.”
“But you can’t sleep.”
“I was asleep. For hours. More than usual, actually.” He touched Ira’s cheek, and his fingers were warm. Soothing.
“You don’t sleep well?”
Jed shrugged. “I work weird hours. Sometimes I sleep all day and end up awake all night. Which is fine if I’m at the bar past two in the morning. I didn’t think of it being an issue with a sleepover until I was awake again. Sorry.”
Ira smiled and failed to stifle a yawn.
“You don’t have to stay awake for me.”
“I won’t.” Ira touched his nose with a fingertip. “I have a dance class tomorrow. I can’t stay up all night.”
“Class?” Jed sounded shocked. “There are classes for . . . that?”
“No, silly. It’s modern dance.” He gave a little shrug. “I guess I’m the current charity case, because Cobalt—that’s the teacher—he doesn’t make me pay if I don’t have the cash. The guy who told me about this place, Landry, he mentioned the new teacher at the community centre before he left. He suggested I try it out. He’s a dancer. Or was. He’s at Waterloo now. Taking maths or something, I don’t remember.”
“I remember Landry,” Jed said. “He seemed like a good guy.”
Ira fought back a blush. “He is. He . . . helped me out.”
“Oh for shit’s sake.” Jed pushed up on one elbow. “You’re the stowaway.”
Ira gasped and covered his mouth. “No, I—”
“Mrs. Stanfield was so positive Landry had a hideaway living with him. She kept telling me the building rules were silly.” He grinned. “She was quite taken with the idea that Landry was hiding a stray in his apartment. She thought it was a dog over the weight limit. But it was you.”
“I— He only wanted to help. After I got fired from the restaurant where we worked, I— He didn’t like me dancing. I couldn’t afford the place I was living, and Cedric knew where I was. Landry knew he was leaving for a few months. He just . . . let me stay.”
“Is his name still on the lease?”
Ira looked away. “We’re going to sort it out after he finishes his first semester and is sure he doesn’t want the place anymore.”
“And?”
“He’s due back around Christmas. We’re going to do the paperwork then.”
“The landlord doesn’t know,” Jed guessed.
“I pay the rent on time. He gave the landlord postdated checks, and I put the money in his account. I don’t cause trouble. I keep the place way cleaner than Landry ever did—”
“Hey, hey.” Jed cupped his face. “I am not going to kick you out or give you a hard time. Stop panicking.”
“But if the landlord finds out you knew . . .”
“Babe. You pay your rent on time. That’s all the landlord really cares about. Well. That and you don’t trash the place.”
“I’m very careful.”
Jed smiled at him. “I know. I’ve seen your place
.” He kissed Ira, all gentleness and care. Ira didn’t resist as Jed powered him down onto his back on the mattress. Their kisses were easy, exploratory, and soft. Jed’s tongue slid into his mouth, and Ira opened, welcoming the possessive growl Jed let out. Jed’s weight, pinning Ira down, was better than the layered afghans, and Ira sighed. They kissed for a long time, petting, learning each other, until Ira’s fatigue slowed him down and he found himself dropping into half sleep as Jed’s lips wandered over him.
“Been a long time since anyone was this comfortable in my bed,” Jed whispered.
“You frighten guys, do you?” Ira blinked lazily, but let his eyes fall shut again. Sleep was winning out.
“I intimidate them, I think. I like power. Makes a lot of guys nervous.”
Ira smiled. “Makes me happy.” He caressed the hair on Jed’s cheek. “Safe. You’re safe.”
Jed’s head joined his on his pillow, and Jed kissed his cheek. “Go to sleep.”
Ira nodded. “Sleep’s good.”
The next time Ira woke, it was Jed’s fault. Sunlight was streaming into the apartment, and Jed was bouncing lightly on the side of the bed.
“Wake up, sleepyhead.”
Ira blinked up at him. “You suck.”
Jed cocked his head. “Well. Not usually. But you make me want to make an exception.” He grinned. “More importantly, though, I have coffee.” He held up a steaming mug. “Interested?”
Ira’s mouth watered at the scent of the elixir. He sat up, but the movement reminded him of two things. His bladder was severely neglected. And he was sticky. All over. He made a face.
“You want the shower?”
Ira nodded. “But . . .” He glanced up at Jed, who held the coffee out to him.
“You want your own shower. I understand.”
“Do you?” Because most people didn’t. Most people just thought he was too picky. OCD or a freak.
Jed cupped his face with one hand and kissed him. “I do. Take this.” He pushed the coffee into Ira’s hands. “I’ll get that shirt, and you can sneak down to your place. But—” he kissed Ira again, a little more lingering “—please come back up and have breakfast with me?”
“Since you asked so nice.” He sipped his coffee. “And I’ll have to bring your mug and clothes back.”
“Good.” He fetched a shirt that was far too big for Ira, and kissed his temple once Ira had it on. “Half an hour.”
“Is that an order?”
Jed lifted an eyebrow. “It could be.”
Ira grinned, warmth spreading through him. That was okay. He liked there being someone expecting him to be someplace without also expecting him to do anything more demanding than show up.
“I’ll be back in half an hour,” he whispered, sipping his coffee to hide a pleased smile.
“Perfect.” Jed’s palm was warm on his face as he kissed his cheek, and stroked his hair, all so tender it gave Ira butterflies. They were soft this time, though, fluttery and billowing inside. When he lifted his face, Jed was there, ready to meet his kiss with more sweet care.
“Go,” Jed whispered. “Be quick.” He tapped Ira’s ass when Ira turned and headed for the door. What a perfect note to leave on: feeling safe and wanted and sexy.
“Please, please be gentle with him.” Jed paced Kearn’s office. Outside the half-closed door, the bar was still quiet. It had taken almost a week to set up an interview for Ira, and he hoped it could be over and done with before the bar got too busy. Saturday wasn’t the ideal day for this, but Kearn wasn’t exactly a man of leisure, so they had taken what they could get.
“I agreed to interview him, Jed. But I’m short-handed, and I need servers. I can’t carry dead weight. I need people who can do the job, not a charity case.”
“I know. He’s neither of those things. He can do this. He might just need a bit of encouragement to come out of his shell.”
“He has experience?”
Jed pursed his lips.
“He’s a noob?” Kearn threw up his hands. “Perfect. If they aren’t pretentious, new-age divas, they’re so green it’s like I’m running a preschool. What ever happened to good old college kids who wanted a few extra bucks for a weekend of binge drinking? Millennials are a royal pain in my ass, you know that?”
Jed twisted the threatening grin off his face just before Kearn turned to face him.
“Has he ever worked a packed bar before?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t see his résumé. He said he had a server job recently, but I don’t know if it was the first one, or how long it lasted.”
“And why doesn’t he have it now?”
Jed shrugged and found a fascinating smudge of dirt on the edge of Kearn’s tidy desk. “Interview him.”
“So he was fired.”
“Please. Just give him a chance.”
Kearn sighed. “You asked, Jed. You know I will. But I have a business to run, first and foremost.”
Jed nodded and tried to smile. “I know. I get that. I’m sorry. I guess I’m just—”
“You’re protective.” Kearn’s answering smile was kind. “No shit. Sort of your thing.”
“So you’ll . . .”
Kearn glanced at his watch and shrugged. “If he shows up on time, I’ll talk to him. See what’s what.”
“Thank you.” They were shaking hands, Jed accepting Kearn’s back-cracking half hug, when there was a knock on the office door.
“Care to get that?” Kearn suggested as he crossed away from the door to his desk.
Jed opened the door on Ira’s pallid face, eyes big under the swath of blond waves. “Hey,” Ira whispered.
“Hey.” Jed stepped out of the office and closed the door behind him. “Hey.” He touched Ira’s cheek. “You look terrified.”
“I’m not good at this.”
“You’ll do fine. You have your résumé?”
Ira flashed a few stapled pages at him. “For what it’s worth.”
“Just be yourself.”
“Jed, the last time I worked in a place like this, I was fired because I wouldn’t let a customer feel me up. My manager did not have my back. Because the customer has the money. The customer is always right—”
“Stop.” Jed caressed his cheek. “That isn’t going to happen here. You know that.”
Ira stared at him.
“Trust me.”
After a moment, Ira drew in a deep breath, offered a smile, and nodded. “I’m fine. Just nervous.” He shook himself out, rolling his shoulders and twisting his neck a bit, and then he stepped back and held out his arms. “I look okay?”
He had on what seemed to be his favourite skinny jeans, because he wore them an awful lot, and a pale-blue fuzzy sweater, which could not possibly have been purchased in any men’s section anywhere. The sleeves were pushed up halfway to his elbows, and he wore the sneakers with the wedged heels that gave him a few extra inches without being obvious about it. He had some makeup on, but it was subtle and sweet.
“You look fantastic.” Ira’s smile was so relieved, Jed took a step back. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You genuinely like when I dress like this. Not just that you put up with it, or accept it, even. You like it. You . . . think it’s hot.” He finished on a whisper.
“I think you are so uniquely yourself, and that is hot beyond words. Now.” He stepped aside and held out an arm toward to the office door. “Kearn’s waiting.”
“Oh.” Ira sucked in a log breath, kneading at his stomach. “Right.”
“Babe?”
“Nervous.”
“No reason to be. Come on.” He kissed Ira, quick but firm. “You’ve so got this.” He opened the office door and motioned Ira inside. “Kearn, this is Ira. Ira, Kearn.”
Kearn stood from his desk and came around it to greet Ira. He had his best I’m-not-scary-just-because-I’m-a-man-mountain smile on. It was a little bit freaky, but Jed gave him silent props for trying. Kearn held out his hand and,
to his credit, managed not to loom over Ira, despite his six-plus feet and Mack Truck build.
“Hi,” Ira squeaked, then frowned and cleared his throat. “Hello.” Strong this time, if a little quiet.
“Good to meet you, Ira. Jed’s been singing your praises.”
Ira shot Jed a panicked look.
“But don’t worry,” Kearn said, kindness infusing his voice. “He was just leaving, so you have a chance to give me the straight goods.” He grinned, and Jed let out a relieved breath when Ira grinned back.
“Of course.” Ira handed over his résumé. “Thank you for taking the time to see me. I’m thrilled to have this opportunity. You’ll see on there I’ve had a couple of server jobs . . .”
Jed backed out of the office and closed the door quietly behind him. It was just a job interview. Ira was an articulate, smart guy. He’d be fine. Kearn might be a little gruff, but he was kind, and he was fair. It would be fine.
With a sigh, Jed snuck behind the bar to grab a glass of Coke.
“You look stressed,” Kimi told him, dumping three cases of beer on the floor next to the cooler. “Take a load off and give me a hand.”
Jed sucked back the drink, regretting the bubbles almost immediately as they repeated on him. But he was glad of the distraction, so he crouched and ripped open one of the boxes. For a few minutes, they worked in silence, Jed passing Kimi the bottles so she could line them up inside the fridge.
“You know this new guy?” she asked.
“Yeah. He lives in my building.”
Kimi snorted.
“He’s, um.” Jed ran a hand over the back of his neck. “A friend. A good friend.”
“A fuck friend?”
“No!”
“You’re not—”
“We’re together,” Jed barked. “Don’t be vulgar.”
She snorted again. “Because you’ve never had a fuck buddy before.” She coughed loudly into her fist—“Landon”—she coughed again.
“That’s completely different.”
“If you say so.” She winked and grinned. “He’s a cutie, that’s for sure. The regulars are going to love him.”